1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick connect coupling which comprises elements adapted to fit in one another for the joining of two pipes through which a fluid flows under pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide a quick connect coupling with an outer button intended to control a mechanism for locking a male element of the connection inside a female element to permit a selective release of the male element. The effort of maneuvering such a button increases with the diameter of the connection and the pressure of the fluid transiting in this connection, as the locking mechanism comprises a spring whose stiffness constant increases as a function of these values. In addition, such locking mechanisms incorporating a button are relatively precise and expensive mechanisms.
It is also known to use connections incorporating balls and a locking bush, the balls being controlled by the position of the bush around one of the elements of the connection. Such connections require a free volume around the connections sufficient for maneuvering the bush, such a volume not always being available.
It is also known, for example by U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,545, to provide on the body of a connection element ramps for receiving catches protecting radially from the body of the other element. The locking of the connection requires a combined relative movement of translation and of rotation of its constituent elements, which may reduce the reliability of the assemblies made.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,479 discloses providing, on a connection, a sleeve adapted to penetrate in a bush equipped, on its inner surface, with studs provided to cooperate with ramps made on the outer surface of the sleeve. The sleeve thus forms a male endpiece. Now, the male endpieces are often mounted at the end of flexible tubes in industrial installations. They are therefore likely to fall and remain on the ground where they may receive shocks and where they are subjected to pollution. For all these reasons, the known device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,479 cannot be considered as reliable in an industrial environment.
It is a particular object of the invention to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a novel type of connection which allows locking and unlocking without too great an effort, including in the case of a connection with large diameter and for fluids under high pressure, while it is not necessary to manipulate the connection in rotation in order to connect or disconnect the connection.